Documentery Review: "Blue Gold: World Water Wars"

 Sam Bozzo's documentary "Blue Gold: World Water Wars," adapted from the book "Blue Gold: The Right to Stop Corporate Theft of The Worlds Water," is a look into the world of water, how it is used, and who controls it. The imbalances in the water cycle that modern societies have created, and many of the solutions proposed, may be setting a scene for a socially unsustainable system in dealing with, what may believe to be, a basic human right.

 To understand problems with water management the first issue that the film addresses is their cause. We all know that fresh water composes a slim percentage of the worlds water source, around 2.5%, and that much of this is quickly, if not already, becoming polluted beyond human use. When this happens surface waters become an unsuitable source, and in response much of the worlds fresh water supply has become dependent on ground water. While in some situations this is a perfectly suitable solution, the levels of groundwater that we, as a human race, are using is outpacing the recharge rates of many of our aquifers. The urbanization of much of the world is working to further hider the ability of these aquifers to recharge and, with population becoming concentrated in the very areas we are draining, this necessitates the import of water to the points of demand. This upsets local water cycles and is resulting in the desertification of many of the earths landscapes, which creates a whole other set of problems. Massive sinkholes are popping up in many major cities where groundwater is heavily relied upon and, in areas where water is exported, the landscape is quickly deteriorating. To truly solve the problem we must eliminate the cause and learn, as a society, to adapt to our water resources rather than adapt these resources to ourselves.

 In an effort to maintain current development and water use practices water is being imported, not only as liquid water but imbedded water, to areas of demand. Imbedded water is the water both contained in goods and associated with the production of them. This documentary takes an in depth look at this phenomenon through bottled water, perhaps the most obvious example of our irrational view of this resource. Not only does bottled water transport liquid water far from the source, but it takes 1.85 gallons of fresh water to manufacture the very bottle that it is contained in. Once that water has left the source it is rarely replaced. The same principal can be applied to food and other products where the water burden is bared by the developing world at almost no cost to the consumer. This constitutes a paradox in many markets where water use is profited upon but the negative effects on water resources are an overlooked externality.

  The privatization of water resources is another issue heavily criticized by the film. As the title "Blue Gold" implies water is seen by many as the new oil and corporations are scrambling to secure as much of it as possible. Typically, this involves poaching the developing worlds water supplies, applying highly technical solutions to areas were much of the population cannot support the cost. This means that if people cannot afford the water, they go thirsty. If your house catches on fire, you have to pay to put it out. If you have no source of income you have to rely on the same surface water that many of the same companies pollute. The public heath cost of having little water or that of poor quality falls on the government while the profits form the provision of clean water go to large, international corporations. Many governments see these deals as attractive, as they provide short term incentives in the form of initial purchase of water rights and often individual benefits for those involved in the deal making, but the long term consequences limit development and standards of living.

 Much as in the previously reviewed "The Big Thirst," "Blue Gold" shows that there needs to be a change in the way the world looks at water and how it is used. Many of the environmental problems of today stem from this issue and their solutions are highly dependent on how we solve it. In order to create a sustainable future we first need to create sustainable systems of use for our most basic resources, water being principal among them. Are we willing to allow water to become increasingly involved in the same system that has created so many of the other problems we are facing today? We should all take a good look at what is happening in this issue and what the outcomes are likely to be.

Book Review: Charles Fishman's "The Big Thirst"

 This year's hot new book about water, "The Big Thirst" written by Charles Fishman, has brought to the public eye what many who are involved in the business and study of water, water resources and water management have long known. Water resource problems are a fact and, if we continue with business as usual, are coming to a town near you. Throughout the world, water crises are popping up, too much water here or too little there. But why are these incidents so shocking? The reliability of water systems in the western world is so ingrained to our consciousness we hardly question it. We, as a society, place little value on our most precious resource, confident that it will be there when we need it. And this is simply not the case.

  Fishman uses this book to examine how and why we use water the way we do while taking account of what is going right and what is going wrong. The book is filled with case studies, from the United States, to Australia, to India looking at domestic, agricultural, and industrial situations to provide a "big picture" view of the situation and where it is heading. The common thread to all of these cases is the value we place on water. Typically this value is trivial, water is cheap, easily accessible, and taken for granted by many. It comes from an unkown source through unknown means and the waster water is taken care of in an unknown manner. To much of the population it is simply a black box.

  All of this is changing though. Water prices are rising, sources are becoming less dependable and, with the recent attention being brought to emerging contaminants, quality is being questioned. The view of water as a resource and the effort to effectively manage it as such is a change that needs to take place in society, from top industries to single family homes. Water reuse, conservation, and protection are all practices that can both lead to and result from these changes and are a few of the things that must be done in order to deal with water scarcity problems around the world. Big businesses such as IBM and Coca-Cola realize this and are taking measures to achieve levels of water management previously unseen. And they are not doing this out of ethical responsibility either, they are doing it because it makes sense. The economic benefits to these companies, who use massive amounts of water for their operations are clear. The money saved from pumping, cleaning, and then disposing of this natural resource are substantial, and as domestic prices rise will matter to everyday people as well. The effort to protect natural water and use less is not an environmental movement, it is an economic one.

 The take-away message of the book is short and sweet, the "golden-age" of water is over and the sooner we acknowledge this and adapt, the better off we will be.

Statement of Purpose

 Hello to all you water lovers. My name is Jacob Mueller and over the past year I have become intensely interested in water and sanitation in the developing world and the decentralized solutions to these problems. The more information I uncover, the more I feel that these types of solutions are essential to improved water availability, water quality and overall health worldwide. I am currently studying environmental engineering at N.C. State University and have begun to focus on the subject. I recently completed my senior design project on latrine design and  am presently enrolled in a class about the issue specifically.

 In order to further my knowledge of the subject, as well as develop a view of the most current trends in the area, I have created this blog as an outlet of information and record of what I discover. I will include book reviews, information from industry and business leaders, case studies on related projects, and anything else I can unearth. Through this I hope to create a comprehensive view of the overall water situation with a special focus on non-traditional and developing world approaches. When all is said and done I, as well as anybody else who follows, should be fully knowledgeable and competent on the subject.

 So read, learn and enjoy. I look forward to meeting all who share my intrest in tackling these problems and working to make the world a better place. Talk to you soon.

- Jake